Youths tackle scholarship suspension with innovative use of technology

Local student group ‘Fund For Hope’ has launched a fundraising campaign on local fundraising platform Mystartr, with the aim of raising RM750,000 to further their collective studies overseas following the suspension of JPA scholarships by the government in January 2016, turning to technology as a potential solution to their problem.

Made up of nine students, the group were among the hundreds affected when the suspension of the scholarships was announced by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Abdul Razak who had cited Malaysia’s declining economy as the reason for the budget cut that led to the suspensions. They turned towards crowdfunding as a solution following several “fruitless negotiations” with the government to reinstate the scholarship.

The suspension could not have come at a worse time, according to the nine, as applications have already been closed to other avenues of funding. Additionally, applications to universities had already been completed, which leads to the students being unable to apply for institutional financial assistance from the universities themselves.

The students, all of whom had received unconditional offers from some of the top ten universities in the world, have professed a willingness to work harder to complete their courses in three years instead of four, allowing them to save on a year’s tuition fees and living expenses, as well as working part time while studying to cover their own living expenses.

Citing this campaign as being about the “whole generation of Malaysian youths who are discouraged from pursuing quality higher education overseas due to the financial barrier”, the students believe that this is a good opportunity to invest in the bright and talented youths of Malaysia whom they believe are “versatile and resourceful assets” to the country.

They are pleading for donations from the public, such as corporates or individuals, to help them realise a better future for Malaysia by contributing to this crowdfunding program.